


At Night, We Believe

by FujurPreux



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Crossover, F/F, kisses and hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 14:34:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14717933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FujurPreux/pseuds/FujurPreux
Summary: Spoilers for A Single Pale Rose.After jumping to a parallel dimension, and finding out the true nature of the kindergartens, the Doctor threatens to close all of Pink Diamond's operations on Earth. The Diamond doesn't take this kindly and has him and his companion thrown away. However, and without having planned, Bill takes the matter on her own hands.





	At Night, We Believe

Pink Diamond stared at the strange blue palanquin-like wooden box the Jaspers had brought to her throne room, along with the two lifeforms native to this planet they found prancing around it. At first glance, it looked like they were trying to copy her own palanquin - or maybe Blue's -, but they hadn't quite managed. It lacked the elegance. And a way to move at all, making it pointless. What a primitive species, wasting their time like that. Then again, they most likely didn't have anything better to do.

In any case, even if Pink welcomed the distraction, she didn't see the need for such a fuzz.

She sighed. "Why did you even bring that thing? Pearl?"

Her Pearl hurried to answer. "The Jaspers say that the - the _palanquin_ appeared out of nowhere, my Diamond. In the kindergarten."

All right. That was unexpected. "In the kindergarten?" she repeated, frowning and looking at the Jaspers. "Explain," she said, imitating Yellow's sternest tone.

The Jaspers straightened up and looked at each other. They were nervous, which meant they had no idea.

Pink sighed inwardly. "Just tell me what you saw."

"Your Diamondness, if I may," said one of the creatures, the tallest one with white hair.

Everyone gasped. Even Pink herself had to stop herself from doing it. If word got to the other Diamonds, she would never hear the end of it for not being perfect and dignified all the time.

"It's the first time one of your kind addresses me," she said, omitting the part where it also was the first time one had the opportunity to do so. "It amuses me. You may speak."

"I honestly don't doubt it." he said. "By the way, I'm the Doctor."

"Name's Bill," the other one said, wiggling her fingers toward Pink Diamond. "Nice to meet you."

"All right," the Doctor continued. "Thanks. So. What I wanted to know is if you're aware of the kind of damage you're causing this planet by draining its resources the way you're going on about it."

Pink Diamond frowned again and leaned forward, this time truly intrigued.

How could this creature be aware of that? Organic lifeforms were unable to grasps such complex concepts. Yellow had said so. Several times.

"You don't know, do you?" the Doctor carried on, smiling. "Not really. But you could learn all about it while there is still time! You can't return what you've taken, but what is left is sufficient for life to continue to thrive and flourish, as it should! As it has to be! Native life in this planet deserves to be preserved. All if it. In all planets, actually, but baby steps. My point being that all the beauty and all the terror life has to offer hold the same value! You must stop your operation in order to do what's right."

_What? How dared him!_

Pink hit the arm of his throne with her fist, making Pearl and all the Jaspers cringe. "This is my colony!" she exclaimed. "No one will tell me what to do with it!"

"How lucky that I'm not no one, then." The Doctor raised both hands as if encompassing the entirety of the room. "Listen, this may not be the Earth I usually visit, but I will protect it regardless. You have twenty-four hours to stop or I will do it for you. Is that clear?"

One of the Jaspers stood between him and the throne, and grabbed him by his clothes, lifting him up until his feet dangled on the air. "Are you threatening Pink Diamond?"

"Put him down!" the Bill said. She hadn't moved, but she was crouching and seemed ready to jump on the Jasper.

This had officially stopped being fun.

Pink went for her most disdainful expression and waved her hand. "Let's not give this more importance than it deserves. Take them away."

"Yes, my Diamond," said the Jasper who had acted. She let the Doctor fall down only so she could grab him by the arm. A second Jasper did the same with the Bill.

"What about their palanquin, my Diamond?" Pearl asked.

Pink Diamond looked at it, then at the creatures, and then at the palanquin again. "Put it behind my throne. They deserve a punishment for their insolence." Besides, it would be something she could show to the other Diamonds. It would be the trophy that would prove she could rule the right way.

Her orders were executed immediately. Pink Diamond saw - and heard - the creatures being thrown out.

"You can't keep the TARDIS!" the Bill exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Bill. They haven't seen the last of us!" the Doctor exclaimed, although now from the other side of the door.

Pink Diamond scoffed and rested her head on her hand. "I'm sure I have," she mumbled.

"We could have them followed, my Diamond," Pearl said. "To find out what they're planning."

Pink scoffed again. "Don't bother. What can they possibly do?"

"Of course, my Diamond." Pearl bowed. "There's no way they could ever do anything against you. We should forget about this and go back to the reports."

Great. More reports. "Bring them over," Pink said, trying to make herself comfortable in her throne.

She couldn't manage.

 

* * *

 

Darkness was about to cover this area of the planet by the time Pink Diamond finished with those reports. She instructed Pearl to send the pertinent information back to Homeworld. Once alone, Pink left the throne and went to the main door to look outside, to her colony.

She knew she shouldn't give them more importance than they merited, but the Doctor's words kept ringing in her ears. She shook her head and began to mumble. "The native life must be preserved? It should _thrive_?" Another scoff. "Can it even do that? But it's so… so _inferior!_ And primitive!"

"I'm going to have to take offense to that one," someone said close by.

Pink turned her head and found the Bill, apparently on her own.

"Well, you are," Pink Diamond insisted. "Specially compared to us."

The Bill. "Now you sound like the Doctor."

"Why are you back? Are you here to fulfill your threat?"

"Nah. The Doctor gave you until sunrise to consider. I just need some things I left in the TARDIS."

"And you thought I would give them to you?"

"They are my things, so..."

"What an arrogant creature you are."

The Bill snorted. "Me? I'm not the one going all around proclaiming how I'm better than everyone else."

"But I am! I am a Diamond! I exist to be a ruler, just like a Jasper exists to be a soldier and a Pearl to serve." Pink tilted her head. She was curious all of the sudden. "Answer, Bill. What is your purpose? What do you even do?"

"For one, I'm impressed that you remembered my name. Second, I do what I want, honestly. _And_ , third and final, I have to say that I'm not sure how to feel about that kind of forced labor division you have going on here."

Pink's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "You don't have a purpose?"

"What's with that face? Are you pitying me?"

Pink stopped for a moment to examine her feelings. Yes, what she felt was pity. There was no point in hiding it, so she nodded.

"Well, you don't have to," the Bill replied. "I have an amazing life, thank you."

"Doesn't it get confusing? Not to know exactly what you're supposed to do since the moment your existence begins?"

"Sometimes, I guess. But we humans are meant to look for our purpose. Yes, it can get scary about half the time, but it can also be exciting and fun. Sometimes everything at the same time."

"How? I don't understand." Which was scary, just as the Bill had said. The whole idea was terrifying.

However, the worst part was that Pink found herself wanting to understand.

"You don't go out much, do you?" asked the Bill.

"Of course I do! When I have to. Overseeing a colony isn't easy. It involves a lot of bureaucracy."

"Wow. Now I am the one pitying you."

Pink pouted, but the Bill continued talking.

"I think that's the problem," she said.

"What problem?"

"The one the Doctor talked about. That you don't get life that's different from you and your kind. You need to see the world, discover how nice we all are."

Pink raised her chin, copying one of Yellow Diamond's more dignified facial expression, trying to hide how intrigued she felt by the idea.

Yet, the Bill noticed. "Come on! I haven't been here long either, but I can show you around anyway!"

Pink Diamond held her arm and looked at the ground. That proposal sounded so tempting. The idea to do something different - something she wasn't supposed to - was tempting.

And yet...

"I - I can't. If the other Diamonds find out -"

"Mmm. I know what you mean. Peer pressure sucks. It's a shame you can't just put on a hood. With how tall and pink you are, you're also easy to recognize. And it's not like you can just change your shape and skin color on a whim."

Now, that was an idea. "You're wrong! That, I can do!" Grinning now, Pink Diamond rubbed her chin. "Now, what shape should I take? Something no one would expect."

She went through a mental list of all her subjects. It'd have to be a medium-rank Gem, not so high on the ladder so she wouldn't be stopped for instructions, and not so low that anyone could question why she had abandoned her post. Thus, neither an Agate or a Sapphire would work. Neither would a Ruby. Perhaps a Pearl, but here was only one on the entire colony, one whose her Gem was very visible on her forehead. That would give her away.

Pink Diamond was about to give up when she realized what she should do. "I know!" she exclaimed. "I'd have to rotate my Gem, but it will be perfect."

Then, she changed. She became a Rose Quartz. Hers and Pink Quartzes were the exact shade of pink,, but when she rotated it to show only the bottom, she really looked like one of them.

"Wow," the Bill exclaimed. "How did you do that?"

"Our bodies are constructs of solid light. We can change them at will." Pink laughed and turned around to show herself. "Now no one will be able to say it's me!" She grabbed the Bill's hands. "Let's go. Show me!"

"Alright!" The Bill grinned. "Be ready to have your mind blown!"

They left Pink Diamond's palanquin, hand in hand, and twenty minutes later, Pink Diamond found herself the farther she'd ever been from any Gem-made building.

It was exhilarating. To scurry through the darkness, to know that no one would ever find out about her escapade. That it would be her little secret forever. It made her feel alive for the first time since she arrived on this planet. She decided to treasure this harmless adventure, however long or short it could be, and her only expectation being to have fun with her mischief.

Which was why it really surprised her when the Bill's words turned out to be true. Her mind did feel about to explode upon seeing this planet's life. Se had laid eyes on it before, of course, but she hadn't seen it. None of that had seemed worthy of her attention. However, now that she had the Bill pointing it to her, it was impossible to deny its beauty.

"Is the entire planet like this?" Pink asked, gently caressing with her finger something that the Bill had called 'a leaf,' which was attached to 'a branch,' which in turn was attached to 'a tree,' which was attached to the planet. What a chain.

"Exactly like this, not really. There are places made out of sand that are call deserts. Then you have the oceans, that are made of water. And then the poles, where there's snow all the time! And so many others!"

"Sand? Snow?" Pink gasped. The words didn't ring any kind of bell, which made them all the more exciting. She held the Bill's hands against her chest. "Show them to me! Take me there"

The Bill laughed. "Girl, it would be easier if you take me! The planet is huge and I can only do local. It would be faster to go on your spaceships. You have only who knows how many of those."

Pink Diamond laughed too. "I don't know either. Although, I bet Pearl does. She's good with that kind of thing. She's good with too many things."

"She sounds like a reliable individual."

"She's not an individual; she's a Pearl. All Pearls are the same."

"That labor division thing gets worse and worse every time it comes up. Okay, I've only seen her, but - but what about the others? The big ones?"

"The Jaspers?"

"Yes, them. Would you say they are the same?"

Pink Diamond nodded, confused. "They were created from the same mold and with the same materials, and they all have the same purpose."

The Bill smiled. "Well, they're not. I wouldn't say they're my type, exactly, but with a quick glance, I spotted several differences. The placement of their Gem, how they part their hair. The color pattern in their skin. Give me some time and I promise you I'll find more."

That gave Pink pause. "It makes no sense," she murmured. Yet, now that the Bill had pointed it out, Pink Diamond couldn't help but wonder. She tried to remember all the Jaspers, but she was unable to. The were a single Gem in her memory.

Could the Bill be wrong? Only one way to find out.

"How fast can you run?" Pink asked.

"Not very, and I've spent an awful lot of time running since the Doctor became my mentor."

"Very well, then." Pink picked the Bill up in her arms. Even in this smaller shape, she retained her usual strength, and as such it wasn't a problem.

The Bill yelped. "What are you doing?"

"We're going to verify what you said, Bill," Pink Diamond responded, and then she dashed away, in the direction to the closest security post.

As she ran, she delighted on the weight of the one she carried. Before tonight, she had only touched - and had only been touched by - the other Diamonds. It had been nice to feel the Bill's hand earlier, but now Pink held her weight, and could feel her fragility against her chest, and the warmth coming out from her.

 _I like it,_ she thought. She wanted more of this. She wanted to take care of her. She wanted the trip never to end.

Alas, it did.

Pink Diamond stopped behind a group of trees from where she and the Bill would be able to observe the Jaspers without being noticed. Once there, she - reluctantly - placed the Bill on the ground.

"There," Pink whispered.

"Yes, I see them. Look!" the Bill added pointing at a particular Jasper, one that was busy scolding the others, calling them. "The one with the Gem in the nose. She's the one who lifted the Doctor by the lapels. And the one on the left? With the smallest hair and the Gem on the shoulder? That's the one that took me out."

"How can you remember?"

"I don't know. I just pay attention."

Pink Diamond sighed. This whole night seemed to be built around all the little ways she did not pay attention to her realm.

That had to change.

"Are you all right?" the Bill asked.

Pink Diamond nodded. "I'll be." She sighed. "Is it like this with everyone? With your species?"

"You mean humans? Oh, absolutely."

"I want to see more humans, Bill! I want to learn more!"

"I think we can arrange that."

The rustling of leaves over their heads called Pink's attention. She raised her head to see a creature taking off from a branch, gliding all the way to a lower one.

Pink Diamond ran after it. "Is that another human?"

The Bill chucked. "No. That's an owl."

"An owl!" Pink repeated in awe. "And that?"

The Bill leaned forward to better see the creature on the tree that had called Pink's attention. "A beetle."

"Oh!"

The Bill grabbed Pink's hand again. "But you wanted to see more humans. I know where there's a settlement with some. We'll tell them that you're with me, and there should be no problem."

"But it's the truth that I'm with you…"

The Bill laughed again. "Yes. Yes, you're right. Come on, then."

Pink picked the Bill up again and followed her instructions all the way to that human settlement.

 

* * *

 

"So, plants, animals, and humans are separate things, and there are different kinds of each," Pink Diamond said as they got closer to the settlement.

"Yup. You got it!"

Pink grinned, feeling entirely too proud of herself. "This is fascinating!"

"Fascinating, yes," the Doctor said, coming out from behind a big rock by the entrance of the village. "And yet your ruler insists on destroying all of that."

"Doctor - " the Bill began, presumably to correct him, but Pink Diamond placed her finger on her own hand, asking the first for silence.

"What?" the Doctor asked, but Pink took it from there.

"This is Pink Diamond's first colony," she said. "I'm sure she can do better once she learns more about it."

The Doctor folded his arms and rolled his eyes. "Can she? She seemed a bit of a brat, if you ask me."

Pink snickered, and went for an apologetic smile. "Yellow says that all the time ."

The Doctor unfolded his arms and frowned. "Yellow? As in Yellow Diamond? How many others are there?"

"Yellow, Blue, and White. There are four Diamonds counting Pink."

"And you say this is Pink's first colony."

"Yes. She's the youngest."

"The others are older, then? Which mean they have more colonies?"

Pink nodded.

The Doctor rubbed his face. "Ngggh. What is this universe at the mercy of imperialistic colonizing space rocks?"

The Bill's jaw dropped. "You mean that we're staying to free them?"

"The only thing in my mind this morning was to take you to a picnic, Bill, promise" he replied.

_Oh._

Oh, _no_. If they did that, the other Diamonds would be infuriated. What chance would a couple of small humans have against them? Reports said that they broke so easily, and she had felt their fragility first hand. She couldn't let them do that. Specially not now that he was starting to understand.

"I don't think there's a need for you to do that!" Pink said, raising her arms. "Pink Diamond could help change her minds."

"For that, she'd need to change hers first," the Doctor grumped. "We don't even know if she'd ever be willing to listen."

"She'll listen," Pink replied. "She just needs to get out more."

The Doctor scoffed. "It's nice of you to be so optimistic, but in an authoritarian regime, and being surrounded by yes-people -"

"Yes-Gems," the Bill corrected.

"They're still people,"the Doctor said. "The point is that under those circumstances? Buff!"

"What is yes-people?" asked Pink.

"People who agree with everything you say even when it's bad. They want to be on your good side, not to do the right thing," the Doctor explained.

"And that's not… good."

"Of course not!" the Doctor said. "If you make a mistake, you need to be told. Otherwise, how can you ever hope to correct them?"

 _But that is what Yellow and Blue do all the time!_ Pink thought. They kept telling her everything she did wrong, how to handle her colony, what to do with her Gems. However… However, they weren't there all the time. They wouldn't know of any day-to-day smaller mistakes. Furthermore, it was true that every single Gem from Pink's court always agreed with her no matter what she said nor what she wanted to do.

"How can you stop such a thing?" Pink asked.

"You encourage individual thinking," the Doctor replied. "You foster an environment where everyone can say whatever they want without fear."

"But to say no to a Diamond…"

"Yes, it sounds like a taboo too ingrained in your society," the Doctor said, folding his arms again.

"I will change it," Pink said, straightening up and getting as serious as she had ever got in her life. "I'll find a way. And when the other Diamonds see how this colony works and thrives, they will change too."

"Personally, I support you," the Doctor said. "But with such an establishment, they only way to go around this would be through a revolution and - Wait." He interrupted himself to produce a small device from his pocket. A device that, at first glance, seemed like technology much more advanced than anything she could have expected from the humans. A second later, suspicion became certainty. The Doctor pointed at her with it for a moment and then checked on it, drawing conclusions. Accurate conclusions. "Polymorphs," the Doctor said. "Bodies made out of light, able to change at will. Their true selves are the stones in their bodies. That's why they're called Gems! Of course!"

"Of course," Pink repeated, half amused and half surprised.

"I could have told you that, Doctor," the Bill said.

"Because she told you first and then you would have been cheating, you cheater. No wonder you've been so quiet."

"She asked me not to tell."

"Whatever. I give you my back five minutes and you go and seduce the one I've been planning to overthrow all afternoon."

The Bill laughed, sounding embarrassed and somewhat uncomfortable at the same time. "Seduce? What do you even mean! I only asked her to go out for a stroll!"

"That's how it all starts! Every time. Believe me, I've been there."

Pink Diamond didn't understand much of that conversation, but there was one thing clear in her mind: her final decision had been made.

She took a step forward and held the Doctor's hands. "I'll stop the kindergarten. I'll help the other Gems to become individuals. And I'll change the minds of the other Diamonds!" She had no idea how she would accomplish any of that, but she would find a way. That she was that stubborn was a well-known fact.

The Doctor studied her face for a moment. "All right," he said in the end. "It's your species; you know them better."

Pink nodded, determined. "Leave it to me. I'll start right now. Come with me, both of you. I'll give you back your palanquin."

"Nah. I need to dismantle the overthrowing kit I was preparing. You two go ahead." He got a key from another pocket and offered it to the Bill. "Here, Bill. Use this on the TARDIS' console. That'll bring both you back here."

The Bill took it. "If that's what you want."

"That's what I want. Off you go, then. Have fun." As he spoke, the Doctor grinned and nudged the Bill with the elbow.

"Stop it!" the Bill whispered. She shook her head, sighed, and nodded at Pink's direction. "Don't pay attention to him. Let's go."

As they began to walk, Pink grabbed the Bill's hand. Behind them, the Doctor made a high-pitched sound that made the Bill shake her head.

"Is he all right?" Pink asked.

"Yes, don't worry," answer the Bill.

"Oh… um. Fine."

The Bill laughed. "You can worry about him later. Right now he's all right."

Pink Diamond thought it would be a good idea to stop asking for further clarifications. She sighed and looked around. The entire world seemed to shine in the night. It hurt to know she had neglected to appreciate all this beauty around. She promised herself to get to know it in deep. No matter how long it took. However, in order to do as much, she'd have to fix her court first.

"So, what's on your mind?" the Bill asked.

"I'm trying to figure out where to start. I think that by stopping them from being yes-people. But I can't just tell them to do that, can I?"

"Yeah, I guess that could get confusing. You ask them to say no to you at some things, and then they'll do it to please you."

"Not because they want to, yes."

"Sounds really complicated."

Pink Diamond nodded and sighed, looking now at her feet while they talked.

"Hey," the Bill said, squeezing Pink Diamond's hand. "Don't worry. You'll figure it out."

"Maybe it isn't me who should tell them."

"Do you want me to help? I'd love to, but I don't think they'll listen."

"Thank you for your offer, but that was not what I meant. I meant this." She pointed at her entire self. "I can pass for a real Rose Quartz. I could talk to them in this form. Maybe they'll listen."

"Oh! That's an idea!"

"It'll be my first step!"

The Bill squeezed her hand again, and Pink Diamond squeezed the Bill's hand back.

 

* * *

 

"Here we are," the Bill announced.

They had already gone through Pink's door and were standing in front of the TARDIS. The way Bill had explained it, it seemed that wooden box was a portal to a spaceship. As a method of transportation, it was an interesting one.

"I wish it would have taken us longer to arrive," Pink said.

"Me too."

"Thank you for everything. Things in this planet will be a lot better from now on. You'll see when you come back to visit."

"Is that an invitation?"

Pink giggled. "Of course it is!"

"Very well. I'll return and then you'll show me all your improvements. It's a promise."

"A promise," Pink repeated, smiling.

"You have a nice smile, you know."

Pink tilted her head. "I do? It's the first time anyone tells me that."

"Must not be an important detail for intergalactic conquest, but it's true."

Pink giggled again. "Thank you. Yours is nice too."

The Bill smiled brightly, "Thanks." She sighed. "I guess it's time."

"See you soon, Bill."

"Yes. Um. See, we humans have this ritual to say goodbye to someone we find special."

Pink grinned, taking pride in being considered special by someone who didn't have to say so to please her. "What is it?"

"Lean forward."

Once she did, the Bill pressed her lips against Pink's. It was warm. And good. Even better than what she had felt when she had carried her around.

"That's called a kiss," the Bill announced when she pulled back.

"Can I try it?"

"Yes."

Pink leaned forward again, this time taking the initiative for the kiss. The Bill answered by moving his lips against hers. Pink reciprocated by doing the same. This time it was longer, and better. Even more fascinating than before.

"Do all humans do this?" Pink asked.

"Most do."

"I see. I'll remember it."

The Bill laughed. "Oh, no. What have I done?"

"You've done me good, Bill."

"I hope so." The Bill put a hand on the TARDIS' door. "See you soon."

Pink nodded. "See you soon."

A few moments later, the TARDIS was gone, just as the first rays of sunshine came in from the window panes.

Pink Diamond sighed and raised her chin again. She didn't bother changing her shape back just yet. It was time to get into action.


End file.
